No more, no more!!

[clubesquire]

I think I once posted that it was unfair to block new buyers as a whole, because of the bad behaviour of a few. Well guess what? I’ll eat my words, and yes, you warned me. No more bidding from buyers with zero against their names for us. When you have a few in a row and you need to wait eight days before you can make that second chance offer, not only does it hold up the works, but it invariably costs you the sale to the under-bidder too.

A few countries are going to get the big flick as well.

No wonder some sellers become a bit ‘over it’ all. You do your best to do what you know is right, but according to ‘him’ and I’m starting to believe he’s right, ‘Too Many grubs in the garden’. I don’t like calling people grubs. There’s a certain nasty tone to it, but there’s certainly plenty out there with grubby behaviour.

A bit cross today. It’ll be wine o’clock early .... and ‘He’ had better not say, ‘I told you so’.  Lol.

Melina.

[kopenhagen5]

We live and learn. 

You're right, we give the benefit of doubt but there are preventative measures required at times.

Newbies tend to place a bid then forget about it a few days later.

So I think having that block in place is not all bad as the genuine buyers may contact you asking why they are blocked giving you the opportunity to add that buyer to your exemption list.

It will also be light beer o'clock soon so, CHEERS. 

[the4masters2013]

Enjoy your wine o'clock and have a second one for me please!!

The joys of selling online....!

[brerrabbit585]

Call a spade a spade... or a grub a grub.

Some of those newbies have probably been blocked by your settings to block non-payers so they open a new account - and still mess you around.

If you eliminate the buyers and countries that cause you problems, someone else will always buy the items they would have bought so you won't be any worse off.

[clubesquire]

Yes, I never thought of that Brer. And, the more time I spend here the more I understand that sellers are constantly in the firing line in one way or another and ‘risk all’. Although I openly admit some deserve all they get. There’s some pretty grubby sellers that walk among us too.

Its a shame there isn’t a site specifically for G sellers and G buyers. It would be a hoot to watch.  Have a feeling the G buyers would win the ‘Grubby Cup’ though, and I mean no offence whatsoever to good, honest buyers, or sellers for that matter, which thankfully are still in the majority - I think!

eBay can be so rewarding. If only both parties could be fair and honest. A little bit of ethos is so easy.

Melina.

[countessalmirena]

One of the interesting things about people who act badly is that they have a tendency (well, it's a human tendency) to see things only from their own point of view... and in this perspective, there will be a superfluity of reasons why they aren't so bad, why their bad behaviour isn't so bad, but anyone who takes offence to their behaviour is - by so doing - worse.

For instance, a new buyer on eBay pops up, bids or buys, and fails to pay. Why? Oh, any of a myriad reasons. They didn't mean to bid. They didn't realise it was binding. They needed or wanted the item at the time of buying but a second later the whole world changed and they suddenly didn't need it. Their pet goat pressed the button. Their financial situation altered in a microsecond and suddenly they couldn't afford the item. On a final in-depth search in the bowels of the laundry cupboard they found the original item which they'd been trying to replace. They suddenly found it cheaper elsewhere. They wanted it for a moment but the want wore off as soon as they'd won it.

Whatever the reason, in his/her mind the new buyer will scarcely even acknowledge a smidgeon of fault. Perhaps the buyer would admit "Well, yes, strictly speaking I am supposed to pay but --" and the "but" comes. The "but" means "I am not really at fault." Whatever words make up the "but", it's a complete exoneration of the buyer.

So... when the seller suffers the inevitable consequences of a buyer who doesn't pay or finalise the transaction, and takes action in respect of those consequences, the new buyer is already primed to take affront at whatever the seller says or does if there's even a hint that the buyer is to blame.

Some people simply won't acknowledge fault, and will feel entitled to take umbrage if they are held to account. Best to just keep such people on the perimeter, and follow your policies (which you'll have set up beforehand) as appropriate to various situations that arise.

It's not that I don't believe human beings are capable of acknowledging when they're wrong, or learning from mistakes... but so much of modern life seems geared towards a sense of entitlement and an invisible thought helmet which keeps giving feedback loops of self-justification! On eBay, this sense of entitlement is part of the mantra heard by buyers, and it creates an artificial environment where sellers can easily feel herded into the cattle-trucks of Jawohl, Herr eBay.

[dazzledayz]

Melina, I can sympathise with you but there's no need to be upset.

You'll find that the dud buyers are just a natural part of the business cycle and you'll see them come and go.

The best way to alleviate the stress is to have a system in place and I use a 2 step approach:

1. After 4 days have gone by I send a note politely explaining that payment has not arrived and eBay is now prompting me to open an unpaid item case against them. I also mention that this can impact their ability to purchase in future and ask them to respond within 24hrs.

2. Open the unpaid item case if no payment or reply is received OR cancel the sale at buyers request if I have eBay email verification.

If all sellers had their blocks in place it wouldn't take long for the habitual "grubs" to be weeded out.

PS - I had 2 from the weekend, both of whom paid up in response to the above. No stress involved.

[go-tazz]

@clubesquire

You'll get all sort of buyers and just deal with each on their own merits,(I've had a few none payers but in the

end the items sold so all good),

As an aside,everytime I see your post title the song Hit the road Jack comes into my head,

[clubesquire]

@ Dazzle, the truth is, I’ve led a sheltered life. Terrific close and large extended family. A wonderful ‘him’. And I’ve been surrounded by many very good people as friends and work colleagues. eBay, this time around has been a real eye opener for me. I don’t think that’s any secret.

There are just some very unsavoury people, some terrible people, and the sad thing too is that some are not as they seem. That’s the scary bit. I’d always rather give someone a dollar than take one away from them, but by golly, while your putting that dollar in one hand these days some of them have sneakily got their other hand in your handbag. I’m honestly just not used to it, but don’t worry, I’m a different person to when came back here. Thanks for the advice 🙂

@ go-tazz, I had to think about that for a second. What a great old song. It reminds me of better days too 🙂

All good, honestly. We actually subscribed for a store yesterday. Now to populate it with ‘stuff’ - not pipes. Never know when to stop .... lol.

Melina.

[springyzone]

No need to get upset.

In the last few years, we've been led to believe that recognising any differences at all between people is somehow evil and discriminatory but in fact, looking at patterns and being able to make some generalisations is how people learn and how we all manage to get along in life.

Sure, not every new buyer (or seller) is trouble, but if you are finding the trend is heavily towards your zero feedback buyers giving you problems, you'd be mad not to act on it. Same with some countries. If sales to a particular country give trouble out of all proportion to their numbers, then there is  probably a problem with postage to that area, so only sensible to cut them out.

Yes, you'll probably miss out on some sales that would have gone fine, but on the other hand, it's not a bad trade off if it cuts out 90% of your problem sales.